Universally Acknowledged Truths
by TalisTheIntrovert
Summary: What happened to Darcy after Amanda left with Mrs Bingley to find Lydia, but before he followed her through the door to her London? What prompts him to seek her so violently and realise his change of heart? Why is Wickham already at Hammersmith in pursuit of Bingley? What happens after the kiss at Pemberley? Read on for unlikely partnerships and universally acknowledged truths.
1. Darcy Does Not Love Miss Bingley

"Why do you suppose Bingley has done this Mr Darcy? Any ideas? Any little twinges of guilt about this situation? No… you don't really do guilt, do you? You do whatever the hell you want and then afterwards call it principle. Bye then." Amanda turned to walk away and Darcy straightened up to his full, very imposing height.

"Do you have the grace, I wonder, to wish me well?"

Amanda turned, gobsmacked at his nerve, "Good luck," she spat sardonically.

"That I already have."

"Clearly," Amanda felt tears springing up again and she willed them down, "You and Caroline are made for each other." She turned and stormed out of the room, completely missing Darcy's pained expression as she did.

Wickham, who up until that point had been talking to Caroline while subtly eavesdropping, caught a glimpse of Amanda's face as she left the room and he quickly excused himself from the conversation. He found her halfway down the hall, collapsed against a beautiful pillar, tears streaming down her face, breathing heavily through her nose and scrunching up her grey dress in her fists.

"Now, now Miss Price, this will never do. Where is your fan? You aren't to show emotion, remember?" He strode towards her and she managed a small laugh.

"You were right George," She sniffled.

"I am right about a great many things, you'll have to enlighten me as to which particular instance you are referring to."

"I am a very long way from home. I miss my home, and my bed, and my mum. I wish I'd never come here, no good has come of it."

"On the contrary Miss Price," Wickham leaned down and took her hands, helping her up off the floor, "I believe a great deal of good has come from your arrival here."

"How?" Amanda snapped bitterly.

"Georgiana has found a friend that after spending two minutes with, she felt confident enough to confide her darkest secret to, which is pretty impressive."

Amanda scoffed and he patted her hand.

"I believe Jane Bennet has found a great deal of comfort in her friendship with you."

"No, but I ruined everything for her!"

"No, Amanda, you did not force her to marry Mr Collins, and neither, unfortunately, did Darcy. He was right about that – it is not his fault that she agreed to be tied to that odious man. You also made Darcy come out of his shell, which is something he has not done since his father died."

"Yeah, and look where that got me – well done Amanda." She wiped her eyes but it didn't look like the tears were going to stop falling anytime soon.

"You met me." Wickham said softly and she looked up sharply, "and now, Miss Price, you have a friend for life."

"Yeah, a friend that constantly hits on me."

"Isn't that the foundation for every great friendship? Anthony and Cleopatra, Mozart and Hadyn, Queen Elizabeth and Mary Dudley, Octavian and Agrippa, Lewis and Clarke, all remarkable friendships."

"And you believe that all of these pairings involved heavy flirting, do you? You think Mozart asked Hadyn to pop over and put some treble in his clef?"

Wickham snorted and Amanda managed a smile, "Why of course, Miss Price." She leaned into his jacket and he sighed, putting his arm around her as she tucked her head into his chest, "All of this over Fitzwilliam Darcy? Really? You are worth more than he has convinced you. You're the woman who brought Darcy to his knees… don't let him bring you to yours." Wickham looked up from her, back the way they had come and caught a glimpse of something moving at the end of the hallway. He locked eyes with Darcy, who had evidently followed them out into the hallway to make sure Amanda was okay. Darcy was glaring daggers at Wickham, and George managed to look somewhat uncomfortable, until he noticed Amanda crying again. He held her at arms-length, taking care not to let her turn and see the man who was causing her so much pain. He looked right in the face of his friend and sought something to distract her.

"Your home!" He exclaimed, "Miss Price, tell me about your home."

"What?"

"You miss it, and it is clearly a big part of what is bothering you, so tell me all about it, about your family and friends and your house. Come on, Miss Price, buck up. Where's that spunk I admire so much? What about your father, what does he think of these adventures of yours?"

Amanda took a deep breath, "My dad wouldn't believe me. He's one of the most boring men you could ever meet. He's very fond of sport and beer. He's an accountant, NOT a fishmonger, George."

Wickham laughed and saw Darcy stiffen even further at the image of the love of his life disclosing personal information to someone he despised so very much.

"Um, and my mum… my mum is just very… lonely. My dad left her for another woman last year. She's spent the past six months redecorating her house. My brother Kevin stayed with her, feral child that he is, although he does stay with dad sometimes. I moved out a few years ago, before the divorce, to be with my fiancé Michael," Amanda was more careful in her wording this time; emphasis duly placed on fiancé and not _boyfriend_ ,"and everything was going fine until I realised that we were never going to get married. He would keep going out with his mates and I would have my friend Piranha round and when I did see him he would be drunk and tired. A few weeks ago, he stumbled home, completely hammered and told me we were actually going to get married – sort of a re-proposal." Amanda cringed inwardly at the white lie but Wickham was interested now, "and it was at that point that I realised that I couldn't marry Michael, not ever. Even after the three years I'd spent waiting for it to happen. He just… wasn't the right man for me, and he was never going to change."

Wickham nodded, "And, uh, you have a friend named after a fish?"

"Sorry? Oh, Piranha! Yeah, that's not her real name, but it's been her name since we were teenagers. Her parents decided that she would be Prudence, and she hated it – she's not exactly _couth_ so she decided one day that her name was Piranha and it stuck. Oh, you'd love Piranha. If I didn't know better I would set you two up."

"Why, are you worried I would despoil her?"

"Other way round! She would ruin you, Wickham. She is… mental. Absolutely mental. And she wouldn't believe me if I told her where I was… Maybe she might, if she's met Elizabeth, but I don't know. I don't know what to think anymore."

"In that case, I MUST meet her!"

"Yeah, you really should. Next time I come round, I'll bring her."

"Do. I'm sure I'll have lots of fun with this friend of yours." Wickham glanced up again and saw Darcy slumped against the door they had come through, looking thoroughly defeated. He actually felt bad for the man, "Come on then Miss Price, we must get you packed, for Mrs Bennet is leaving upon the hour and you are supposed to be gone with her, are you not?"

Amanda nodded and Wickham guided her down the hall and round the corner, watching her disappear up the stairs. When he turned around, he was face to face with Georgiana. Her eyes were wild and her hair was ever so slightly dishevelled against her face, and Wickham felt the brotherly urge to give her a hug and tell her that everything would be alright, as he did with Amanda Price.

"What is this I hear about Miss Price leaving? And why on earth is my brother professing an engagement to Caroline Bingley?!" She exclaimed, and Wickham patted her arm.

"It is a rum business, is it not?"

"Rum business? Why George, it is a shambles! What is my brother thinking? I'm sure he despises Caroline Bingley?"

"I believe that may be your own opinion of the woman bleeding through there Georgiana."

"That may be so, but you dislike her as much as I, do you not?"

"As a person of course she is repellent to me, but I do understand the appeal of a woman situated as she is, so high in society: an elegant and *ahem* personable woman."

"But where does Miss Price leave to so suddenly? Surely she can convince my brother that he is being foolish!"

"There has been an upset in the Bennet family, which I know nought of that I can disclose to you, but she has gone to tend to the matter and then she will be travelling home."

"I told her everything. About us. I thought perhaps if my brother were to marry her that she would be able to tell him what truly happened, and maybe my brother would not punish me so harshly, and he would finally allow you back into our lives, as a friend."

"I know my dear, but unfortunately, your brother is a fool, and he has let Miss Price slip through his fingers. She told him, quite bravely, that she was no longer a maid, and he withdrew his offer of love. She intends to return home once this business with the Bennets is resolved."

"Well, I will not stand for it. She shan't be allowed to leave us."

"Nor I. But we have to, I'm afraid. We cannot do anything to change it."

"Oh yes we can." Georgiana grabbed Wickham's hand, turned on her heel and strode back into the hall where Darcy was still leaning heavily on the door. He looked up as they approached and his expression went from heartbroken to hatred in a heartbeat.

"What do you think you are doing?" He spat at Wickham. George, to his credit, was as shocked at where he was as Darcy, and merely looked helplessly at the young Miss Darcy to help.

"George never touched me." Georgiana said loudly and Wickham baulked.

"Georgiana, what do you think you are doing?" He asked urgently, but she ignored him, and Darcy's eyes flicked between the two of them, comprehension just beginning to dawn.

"I told you he did, because I was angry at him. I made it clear that I wished him to make advances and he kept refusing me, so I went to you and I told you that he touched me out of spite, and realised too late that what I had said could not be unsaid and you cast him out. I kept playing along because George said he didn't mind taking the weight of my foolish lies."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Darcy asked, already knowing the answer.

"Because you thought that I was not a maid, and yet you let me continue living in this house and you threw Wickham out. So why, I wonder, have you thrown out Miss Price for being in a similar position to the one you believed me to be in?" Georgiana asked defiantly and Darcy drew himself away from the wall and began shifting his weight from foot to foot, wringing his hands, all his previous distress reappearing.

"Because Miss Price admitted to giving her virtue away by choice."

"To a man she was engaged to!" Wickham declared, finding his voice again.

"That is of little consequence. She is no longer a maid and therefore can never be my wife."

"Does anyone else know that she is not a maid?" Georgiana asked.

"Of course, I would not have asked such an impertinent question of a lady without prior indication as to the truth of the statement."

"And who told you?" She looked at her brother, but he averted his eyes.

"That is unimportant."

"Who told you?" She asked again, stepping closer.

"Caroline Bingley."

Wickham and Georgiana both scoffed angrily and Darcy found himself feeling incredibly foolish. Wickham strode forward and poked Darcy in the chest, "Of course Caroline would say something like that – she of course wouldn't have known if there was any truth in it, she just wanted to destroy Miss Price's reputation in your eyes. It is a well-documented fact that Miss Bingley has had her sights set on you for marriage. It is due credit to Miss Price that she answered such a discourteous question with the truth. And as a truly gentlemanly response, you cast her aside like so much rubbish."

"Don't you dare say such a thing, rescinding my offer to Miss Price was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Rage flared back in Darcy's eyes and Wickham nodded sarcastically at him, which only served to enrage the heartbroken man more.

"So if no-one else knows she is not a maid – if we three are the only receptacles of that knowledge, what is stopping you from marrying her?"

"I…" Darcy faltered.

"Yes?" Wickham put his hand to his ear in mockery, "I missed that, what was that excuse?"

"I… I… do not know." Darcy's shoulder slumped and George and Miss Darcy found themselves feeling bad for the poor and man. They looked at each other and while George rolled his eyes, they both patted him on the arm and Georgiana leaned into him. Darcy put his arm around his sister and she swallowed nervously.

"So, about George…"

"Let us just pretend it never happened."

"I'm sorry?" Wickham breathed, genuinely shocked at the man before him.

"As long as I receive your help, Mr Wickham, in retrieving Miss Price, I can safely say that I will forgive you for all past lies, and will dismiss Georgiana's mistakes as mere childish folly."

"Done." Wickham said, and extended his hand to his former enemy. Darcy stared at it for a moment before taking and looked his old friend in the eyes.

"Where is she?"


	2. Amanda Does Not Love Mr Dolan

**Hello! I just felt there were some stuff and thangs missing from the final episode, like scenes from Darcy's POV and context in terms of Piranha, Lizzie and Michael, so I am endeavoring to add some. Hopefully you like it. Please review because I LOVE feedback.**

* * *

"Ah. Yes, see that is where we may run into a little snag."

"A snag?"

"Miss Price left by carriage not twenty minutes ago."

"What?" Darcy growled, anger rising, "Where has she gone?"

"To assist the Bennets in their search for Lydia. Which is a search I believe we must also undertake for the sake of both parties." Wickham said pointedly and Darcy nodded. Georgiana simply looked lost, and Darcy told her that he and Wickham were going away on business that must not be spoken of. She agreed to keep quiet on the subject and informed her brother loudly enough for those in the other room to hear that she would be retiring to her room, as she felt a sudden illness creeping on. Darcy nodded and waved her away.

"So," Wickham asked, leaning in closely to Darcy, "what are we going to do about your other engagement?"

"I will terminate it immediately." Darcy said stiffly.

"Yes, I believe you should. Why would you propose to that _charming_ woman if you still held affection for Miss Price. Were you intent on hurting her?"

"Nothing was further from my mind, I assure you! Do you not see that it was my love for Miss Price that drove me to propose to that repellent woman; as punishment to myself, I would be bound in matrimony to a woman for whom I have no regard."

"That's… uh… impeccable logic old friend. Just… remarkable."

"Would you desist with the constant jokes? This is my life you are mocking!"

"My deepest apologies Mr Darcy," Wickham bent into a mocking bow, "May I get you a handkerchief to mop up your tears?" Darcy moved as though to strike Wickham, but the man darted out of the way and grinned wolfishly at him, "It is not your heart I worry for Mr Darcy. I worry for Miss Price, as should you be."

Darcy's jaw tightened and his eyes went cold, but he understood where Wickham was coming from and shook his head slowly, clearing his anger, "You are lucky, Wickham, that Miss Price likes you so, for if she did not I am sure I could quite easily never see you again."

"Ah, then we understand each other. We are acquainted through Miss Price and Miss Darcy and nothing more."

Darcy huffed grumpily in acknowledgement and the two of them began discussing their plan to find Bingley; working out exactly how they would find him before the Bennets. They of course had the advantage of not needing to travel all the way back to Longbourn before embarking on the search, but the disadvantage of not having read the letter explaining where they were. They did, however, both agree that it was most likely the couple had set forth to London. Wickham remarked that Amanda lived in Hammersmith and Darcy grunted noncommittally.

"Do you have any idea where?"

"No, except that she hails from Hammersmith." Darcy replied and Wickham shrugged, "No matter. We will set out in that direction on the morrow. I shall look for Miss Price and you shall look for Bingley and Miss Bennet."

"Why should you take on the task of discovering Miss Price?" Darcy said sharply.

"Well, I'm not sure if you've noticed this Darcy, but you just announced marriage to another woman in a room full of witnesses. Something tells me she doesn't want to see you at the present. Besides, Bingley needs your guidance a great deal more than she."

Darcy cleared his throat guiltily and Wickham rolled his eyes. The door opened behind them and Mr Collins slunk through.

"Oh, hello sirs," Collins slurred, sinking into a fawning bow, "Discussing wedding plans?" He smiled slimily and Darcy was struck with the sudden urge to vomit. He had never felt so bad for Jane Bennet as he did at that moment, realising the agony to which she had condemned herself.

"No. Actually Mr Collins we were…" Darcy trailed off, glancing at Wickham.

"Discussing the merits of abstinence in a happy marriage." Wickham finished, and Darcy turned to him with fire in his eyes. It occurred to him that he should have kept his mouth shut, but the looks on both Darcy and Mr Collins' face were enough to convince him he'd made the right decision. Collins had a small smile and a look of pride on his face, clearly about to launch into one of his many religious speeches, and Darcy had a look of panic hidden behind his usual stony faced demeanour.

"Oh, excellent, excellent, yes Mrs Collins and I are undertaking that very privilege. It keeps the women excited and anxious for when they are finally called upon, and makes marriage a wholesome and heartwarming experience for both parties."

Darcy closed his eyes as another wave of nausea hit him, and even Wickham looked a little green. Darcy opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of an escape from what was about to be a deeply disturbing conversation, but again, Wickham got there first.

"That is absolutely fascinating Mr Collins and I'm sure we will discuss it at length at a later date, but I must beg your pardon, as I do actually have to discuss an important business matter with Mr Darcy involving his upcoming trip to London."

"Oh. Sir is not staying at Pemberley for the length of his engagement?" Collins murmured greasily.

"No," Darcy swallowed, wondering how publicly he was going to have to rescind his offer to Caroline, "I'm afraid the business in London is quite urgent."

"Of course, of course. That is, I believe, also the residence of Miss Price."

"Yes?" Darcy asked rhetorically.

"Will you be calling on her when you visit?" Collins seemed much too interested and Darcy deduced that he had been instructed by a certain Lady Catherine to pry into his relationship with Amanda Price.

"I am not sure I will have the time, Mr Collins. But Wickham here will be calling on her, I'm sure."

"Oh. Does sir have a particular _attachment_ to Miss Price?" Collins asked.

"Me? No, we are just good friends is all. She gave me the benefit of the doubt in a tricky situation and I appreciate her for it. She is the kind of woman who knows the difference between a good man and a bad."

"Yes," Mr Collins sounded unconvinced and the two men both noticed his hand moving unconsciously as if to protect the front of his trousers. Wickham snorted and Darcy elbowed him.

"Of course, if she does meet a man who does not live up to her expectations of a respectable citizen, she knows how to _deal_ with them." Wickham said, fighting laughter.

"True. I believe she gets to the _crux_ of the matter quite quickly." Darcy remarked pointedly and both of them watched with glee as Collins shifted awkwardly where he stood.

"Yes, quite… ahem. Well I must be getting back to Miss Collins. I am sure she is missing my company by now." Collins shuffled away with his tail between his legs and Wickham shuddered.

"I believe Jane Bennet relishes the small moments of missed company."

Darcy nodded sadly, "I know," the guilt in his voice was tangible, "I have another announcement to make. And a very awkward conversation lies ahead of me, so I imagine you will want to retire to your room for the evening."

"And miss your discomfort? Absolutely not!"

"I am referring to the upcoming wrath of Miss Bingley."

"Ah. You know, I do feel I have become a little… tired."

Wickham made a hasty retreat as Darcy slumped his shoulders and walked back through to the room where his soon-to-be-ex-fiancé was almost certainly fawning over herself.

P&P P&P P&P P&P P&P

The next morning, almost as soon as the sun had lazily drifted into view over the horizon, the two men were on horseback headed towards the great city of London. By the time they arrived it was reaching lunchtime, and Darcy was worried that if the Bennets had set off at the same time from a shorter distance, that they would already have arrived. He had to be reminded that if Mrs Bennet had requested to be involved in the search, that they would have taken a carriage and not travelled by horseback, therefore arriving later than the two men by at least an hour.

Wickham gave Darcy a list of places in London to search that he believed might be the residence of two unmarried guests and Darcy disappeared into the suburbs while Wickham made a beeline for Hammersmith. When he alighted on the banks of the river, he resolved to wait until the carriage arrived. He had a small suspicion that Miss Amanda Price was not from where she said she was from, and resolved to help her in her deception as long as it would enable this whole escapade to be over. He really didn't mind spending time with Darcy in the moments of levity, but he refused to spend any more time with a man so utterly heartbroken. It was depressing.

Finally, a familiar carriage pulled up and a bemused Miss Price stepped out. Wickham quickly made a beeline for her as she turned to face the expectant Bennets.

"There you are! Welcome all! How was the road?" He called out as he approached, cutting off Amanda before she could speak.

"Mr Wickham? How unexpected." Mrs Bennet exclaimed.

"Is it?" He feigned surprise, "Did Miss Price not tell you she asked me to ride ahead to make arrangements?" He smiled warmly at them and waited for Amanda to catch onto his clever ploy.

"I quite forgot," she stuttered.

"He smiled, "Sir Reginald and Lady Nora are safely on their way to Bath."

"Good." Amanda nodded, hoping that Wickham knew what he was doing.

"Who, pray, is Sir Reginald?" Mrs Bennet looked even more confused. _Good,_ Wickham thought, _let them be too confused to see through the lie._

"Miss Price's father, Mrs Bennet. The house, alas, is quite locked up. The servants absolutely insist on travelling with Sir Reginald and Lady Nora which is inconvenient, of course, but most devoted."

As the Bennets stepped back in confusion, Amanda muttered to him,"Lady Nora?"

"That's a perfectly good name for the wife of a successful fishmonger."

"What are you doing here, what's the point in helping me?"

Wickham looked down at his friend and felt a pang of guilt at lying to her, but knew that it was better that way. He plastered a smirk on his face, "because your face is most amusing when surprised." She continued to stare blankly at him and he knew that she wasn't buying it, he sighed, "I do as you do, I have to see Bingley."

After Mr Bennet divulged to Wickham what he already knew but pretended he didn't, Wickham pretended to have a revelation, "Why, surely they are gone to… _The Jerusalem._ That is the inn of note here, is it not Miss Price? If it is your belief they have come to Hammersmith, we must thither immediately to prevent _wrongdoing._ Mr Bennet sir, permit me to be your guide."

He strode on ahead and suppressed a confident smile as Mrs Bennet gushed over him and Amanda wandered behind still looking immensely surprised at his appearance.

When they arrived at the room in question and discovered the pair, Lydia immediately burst into tears. While Mr Bennet became increasingly angry with the clearly obtuse Mr Bingley and Amanda kept glancing at him questioningly, he prayed that Darcy was on his way. He didn't believe he could think of a way to re-hinge this situation without the more powerful man's input and influence. Suddenly the door behind them swung open and Darcy strode through. Clearly flustered at finding he was already too late, he began spouting something about an opera and Wickham's heart sank. Mr Bingley acknowledged the lie and Mr Bennet flew into a rage, picking up the sword from the fireplace and brandishing it at the man. Bingley instinctively picked up his spear and began jabbing it defensively. Darcy yelled at him to put it down, but it was too late and a well-placed shove forced Mr Bennet into the fireplace where his head made a dull thunk as he hit the concrete. Wickham rushed forward to apply pressure to the already gushing wound and the two Bennet girls quickly followed. Amanda began tearing off strips of cloth to bind his head while Darcy called a servant to fetch a doctor. Wickham watched as Amanda yelled at Mr Darcy and stomped over; he helped her wrap the makeshift bandage around his head as she turned and asked Darcy about stitching the wound. For once, Wickham found himself surprised, as he did not believe anyone outside of the militia or a doctors' surgery knew about the merits of stitches, but then Miss Price had always been an anomaly. Darcy clearly had no idea what she was talking about and she got up, exasperated and left the room.

Once he had finished dealing with the wound, Wickham got up to follow her. He found her nearly in tears leaning against the wall, her hands still bloodied.

"Mr Bennet needs stitches. Please tell me you understand that!" She begged.

"There is a woman here. She has arranged… medical matters… for me in the past. I shall bring her here directly."

"Wickham," relief flooded Amanda's face, "you are a bastard, but you are the right bastard at the right time."

"One does one's best. Everyone you know, Miss Price, will one day prise your fingers from the raft and watch you drown. It's the way of the world: everyone… except me." Wickham smiled and forged on through the door heading down the street to find the woman in question.

Amanda watched him depart and when she turned around she found Darcy standing there. Her heart sunk and her breath caught in her throat but she stood up straighter, determined not to let it show.

"Miss Price?" He asked expectantly.

"I have to find Elizabeth. She needs to be with her father right now, nothing else matters."

Darcy stepped forward, "I believe if I am compelled to hear that name again I might just…" He trailed off. She had disappeared out the door midway through his intended speech and he shook his head angrily, "No, I will not lose her again." He stormed through the door behind her but what he found on the other side was not London as he knew it.

Everything around him was metal and concrete and there were people everyone. Some of them even had the audacity to stare at him, though they were the ones wearing the strange and unusual clothes. It was freezing and there were speeding carriages painted bright reds and blues and silver all darting past, Some of them had triangular glowing boxes on the roof that said TAXI. He had never seen a taxicab like it and he was immediately on his guard. His eyes were darting everywhere as he searched for Miss Price in the crowd, but he could not find her and he began wandering through the streets in search of her. There were red boxes with the word telephone on them and vertical glowing orbs of light in red, yellow and green on every street corner. Women everywhere were wearing trousers and some had styled their hair like men. The men wore plain undershirts with no buttons or collars and he wondered why it was fashionable for me to wear their under-things and for women to appear as men. The shops windows were brightly coloured, some filled with more of the odd clothes, some with brightly coloured confectionary and yet others were covered in rectangular boxes with different images on each one. He first assumed they were large portraits but soon realised that they were moving and had sound coming from them. He stumbled away from the stores, cursing as he tripped over some pigeons sitting aimlessly on the cement, refusing to move for any person to came close. He did not know how long he stood there, gazing around him in awe, but soon he heard someone approaching behind him and before she'd even finished saying his name he'd turned to face her, praying that it would be her face he saw. Thankfully it was Amanda Price who stood behind him, her eyes betraying the amazement she felt at his appearance in her world.

"You followed me?"

"Are my wits disordered by opium? Where is this dreadful place?"

"This is London. My London." Amanda said and suddenly Darcy began to realise why she was so different to every other woman he came across – why she was so direct and outspoken in her views. It would take a great deal of effort for anyone to be noticed in this world, as opposed to his own.

"I will tell you this Miss Price. And it is true," Darcy looked into her eyes and took a deep breath, "The assembly rooms at Meryton; I danced with you, not in order to spare my friend, but because I wanted to dance with you. Our entire acquaintance has been informed by my refusal to acknowledge this, for I have been blinded by pride," He saw the look in her eyes change and pressed on, "Charles, Georgiana, Wickham… you… I was calamitously mistaken in my judgement of you all. A fellow less pigheaded would have realised from the start that what I felt for you was…" He knew he could said it, one more deep breath and he would finally say it in such a way that would be unable to be undone, "What I felt for you was… love. I love you. I followed you to this… infernal place, because I would follow you anywhere. I would harrow _hell_ to be with you."

"What about Caroline?" Amanda asked.

"I cannot marry Caroline Bingley," Darcy said, as though it were obvious, and Amanda retaliated.

"Do not tell me it is because she is not a maid?"

Darcy managed a small laugh and she smiled but he could not allow her to misunderstand his intentions, "Of course she is a maid. I cannot marry her because I do not love her. I love you."

Amanda closed her eyes and nodded, and Darcy waited nervously for her to reply.

"Okay." She said, voice labouring under the weight of her emotions, "Before we go any further there is someone you have to meet. Right now. Take my hand. We're going to find Elizabeth Bennet."

As his gloved hand slipped into her bare one, he nodded at her despite his anxiety and she led him through the streets to a bus where they boarded and rode it all the way to the closest bus stop to their destination. Miss Price consulted the address written on her hand and found the right house. She knocked and when Elizabeth Bennet opened the door with short hair and jeans, Mr Darcy found he was no longer surprised. In fact, he believed that even if mermaids were to emerge from the sidewalk and dance at his feet, he would accept them as existing.

While Miss Price and Miss Bennet talked, he found himself inclined to wander around the house and look at the various things which he had never seen. He heard Elizabeth say something about a Doctor and Mr and he approached, confused.

"Doctor Rosenberg is a lady, yes. The world is greatly changed." Elizabeth looked at him almost pityingly and he found himself slightly irritated at her tone.

"Michael! Damn, look I need to use the telephone, I've got to call my boyfriend." Amanda said and Darcy's head flicked in her direction. He'd heard the name Michael before, and when its origin sprung into his mind, he found he was no longer merely irritated and in fact quite angry at the thought of this man still being tied to Miss Price. So much so that he needed to walk off in order to get his head back into its rightful state. When he picked up the iron, however, Amanda turned and laughed, "Darcy!" And he found he was quite willing to hear that surprised joy in her voice. But it triggered some kind of reaction in Elizabeth.

"Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, of Pemberley? I am your wife!"

"I do not recall marrying you madam. I think I would have noticed if I had."

"We have been married nearly 200 years. Look." Elizabeth picked up a rectangular object similar to those in shop windows and beckoned him around to see the screen. She pulled up a bio of him on the internet and it suddenly dawned on him that the book he'd found in the fountain must have come from this place, this time. He now regretted yet more his instant anger at its discovery and the subsequent argument with Amanda, but he could not apologise now as she was hurrying the both of them out of the house.

They were about to alight in one of the glowing taxicabs when Michael Piranha pulled up on the curb. Piranha leapt off the bike, across the pavement and into the arms of her friend, "God almighty Amanda!"

"I know, I know," Amanda said into her hair. When they pulled apart, Piranha took in the towering man before her.

"You're Darcy, yeah?" She asked, and Darcy bowed in response, "Looks like a Greek statue and talks like one." She remarked to Amanda, and Amanda was thankful that she didn't have to explain things to Piranha.

'What do you mean Darcy? Darcy's some ponce in a book," Michael said, posturing in front of the women, and Amanda's heart leapt into her throat. She'd seen him like this before in pubs with his mates, and she knew he was trying to start a fight, "Some todger-twitching nancy boy."

"It's Darcy." Piranha said exasperatedly, as though she'd already explained it before, which, if Amanda wasn't mistaken, she probably had.

"What is this curious person?" Darcy asked, glancing at Amanda, "Is it some sort of village idiot? Or a clown?"

"Oh, clown? Yeah that's me." Michael said, and then swung his fist violently towards Darcy's face.

Darcy easily dodged it and would have continued doing so if Amanda hadn't stepped forward and been shoved back by Michael. Darcy found himself more overcome with rage than he had been since Georgiana told him about Wickham and strode forward, "HOW DARE YOU LAY VIOLENT HANDS UPON MISS PRICE!" He moved as though to injure Mr Dolan and Amanda rushed forward, placing herself between the two men. The second her hand pushed on his chest, he found he had the willpower to step down, despite his vexation, knowing that if she did not want him to stoop to the level of the man before him, he would not stoop. If he had wanted to continue, he would have, but he did not need to fight the man to prove he was better in every way. Amanda had already told him that she felt more strongly for him than she had any other man, including Michael, and it was this knowledge that gave him strength.

Piranha managed to get Michael on his bike and she grabbed Elizabeth, "You go with him. I'll go with these two. We'll meet at the apartment."

The bike sped off down the street and the taxi followed. None of them wanted to sit in the front seat, so Amanda sat in the middle with Piranha on her left and Darcy on her right.

"So what the hell have you been up to?! I want to hear all about it. EVERYTHING." Piranha gushed, and Amanda swallowed hard. _Everything?_


End file.
